Trapezoidal container having end-flaps that wedgingly entrap a tray

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a container particularly adapted for the shipment of an assembly which includes a tray having articles packed therein. The container is of a trapezoidal cross section in one direction so as to wedgingly retain the tray in position therein. End flaps of the sloping end walls are so arranged to overlap upper edge portions of the tray to further lock the tray in position within the carton.

United States Patent [1 1 Harned TRAPEZOIDAL CONTAINER HAVING END-FLAPSTHAT WEDGINGLY ENTRAP A TRAY [75} Inventor: Frederick G. Harned,Bolingbrook,

ill.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: May 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 362,394

[52] US. Cl. 206/491; 206/525; 229/22; 229/8; 229/19; 229/9 51 int. ClB65d 85/54; 865d 5/38 [58] Field of Search 229/9, 19 22, 8; 206/52l,206/525, 494, 526, 491

{56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1157.954 5/1939 Gould206/453] [451 Aug. 19, 1975 Skowronski 206/498 Nigro 229/9 PrimaryE.\'aminerWilliam i. Price Asxixlant ExaminerDouglas B. Farrow Attorney,Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik & Wight 5 7 ABSTRACT This disclosurerelates to a container particularly adapted for the shipment of anassembly which includes a tray having articles packed therein. Thecontainer is of a trapezoidal cross section in one direction so as towedgingly retain the tray in position therein. End flaps of the slopingend walls are so arranged to overlap upper edge portions of the tray tofurther lock the tray in position within the carton.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU AUG 1 9 I975 SliCiT 2 UF 2TRAPEZOIDAL CONTAINER HAVING END-FLAPS THAT WEDGINGLY ENTRAP A TRAY Thisinvention relates in general to new and useful improvements incontainers or cartons, and more particularly to a container or cartonparticularly adapted for packaging a tray having packed therein aplurality of articles in a manner wherein the tray will remainstationary within the carton.

Normally, containers or cartons are rectangular in cross section.However, when an article other than an rectangular article is to beshipped within such a container, it is necessary to provide suitablespacers within the container in order to prevent shifting of the articletherein.

The present invention relates primarily to the problem of packing a traywhich has packed therein a plurality of articles, in a manner whereinthe tray and packed articles will not shift relative to the container.This is necessary in that when individual packages are shipped,especially by parcel post, the packages are relatively roughly handledand frequently inverted.

In accordance with this invention, the foregoing problem has been solvedby providing a container which in one transverse cross section istrapezoidal and thus has sloping ends. The net result is that after thepacked tray is slid into the carton through one open end thereof, andthat end is closed, the tray is wedged against the bottom wall of thecarton by the trapezoidal configuration thereof.

Another feature of the invention is that the open end of the carton isclosed by a plurality of flaps which sequentially overlap one anotherwith certain of the flaps being dismensioned to be disposed above theupper surface of the tray and thus form a stationary abutment againstwhich the tray is engaged so as to firmly hold the tray against thebottom wall of the carton.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that the carton blank maybe formed from the same size stock as a regular rectangular carton ofthe size necessary to package the packed tray.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawing:

FIG. I is a plan view ofa carton blank for forming the carton orcontainer of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the erected carton with oneend thereof open ready for the reception of a packed tray.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and shows a tray being moved into theopen carton.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the first step in closing theopen end of the carton.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the second step in closingthe open end of the carton.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the completed package.

FIG. 7 is an exaggerated enlarged transverse sectional view taken alongthe line 7--7 of FIG. 6 and shows the specific relationship of thecarton with respect to the packed tray and the manner in which the trayis retained in a fixed position within the carton.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated in FIG. 1 the blank for forming the carton of thisinvention, the carton blank being generally identified by the numeral10. The carton blank 10 is of a one piece construction and is preferablydie cut from corrugated board. I

In the preferred embodiment of the carton blank 10, a rectangular bottompanel 11 is disposed adjacent one end of the carton blank 10 and isconnected by means of a transverse fold line 12 to a trapezoidal outlineside panel 13. A rectangular bottom panel 14 is connected to the sidepanel 13 along a transverse fold line 15. The bottom panel 14 is of alesser transverse dimension than the bottom panel 11 but is of the samelength. A second trapezoidal side panel 16 is connected to the top panel14 along a transverse fold line 17.

The carton blank 10 also includes a securing flap 18 which in theillustrated form of the invention is connected to the bottom panel 11along a transverse fold line 20, but in certain instances, could beconnected to the side panel 16.

The carton blank 10 also includes a pair of closure 3 flaps 21 whichextend transversely from the side panel 13. The longitudinal dimensionof the flaps 21 is less than that of the side panel 13 and the flaps 21are connected to the side panel 13 adjacent the fold line 15 remote fromthe bottom panel 11. The flaps 21 are connected to the side panel 13along fold lines 22.

A similar pair of flaps 23 extend transversely from the side panel 16and like the flaps 21 are of a lesser longitudinal dimension than theside panel 16. The flaps 23 are connected to the side panel 16 alongfold lines 24 and are positioned closely adjacent the fold line 17.

A second set of end closure flaps 25 extend transversely from the toppanel 14 and are connected thereto along fold lines 26. It is to benoted that the transverse dimension of the flaps 25 is substantiallyequal to the longitudinal dimension of the flaps 21, 23.

Finally, the carton blank 10 includes a pair of end panels 27 whichextend transversely from opposite sides of the bottom panel 11 and areconnected thereto along fold lines 28. It is to be noted that thetransverse dimension of the end panels 27 is greater than that of theflaps 25 so that the end panels 27 extend substantially the fully heightof the resultant carton.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it is to be understood that a carton 30, whichis formed from the carton blank 10 is formed by a folding of the blankgenerally at right angles along the fold lines 20, 12, 15 and 17 and bysuitably securing the flap 18 against the outer surface of the sidepanel 16 such as by an adhesive (not shown). If desired, one end of thecarton 30 may be closed in advance of the packaging of a producttherein.

The carton 30 is particularly configurated for the packaging therein ofa tray 31 in which there is securely packed articles 32 (FIG. 7)securely fixed relative to the tray 31. The tray 31 is of a rigidconstruction and includes a bottom wall 33 which has upstanding fromopposite sides thereof side walls 34. The ends of the tray 30 are of afolded double thickness construction and are identified by the numeral35.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the packed tray 31 is slidinto the partially closed carton 30 through one thereof, and that thewidth of the tray 31 is such that the side walls 34 thereof closelycontact the inner surfaces of the side panels 13 and 16 of the carton30. Thus, the tray 31 is prevented from shifting transversely within thecarton 30.

After the packed tray 31 has been fully inserted within the carton 30,the flaps 21 are swung into a planar condition with the lower edges ofthe flaps 21 directly overlaying the upper edge of the associated endwall 35 of the tray 31. At this time it is pointed out that inasmuch asthe carton 30 is formed of corrugated board, there is a certain give inthe material which enables the flaps 21 to be generally twisted to theposition shown in FIG. 4 although the natural hinging thereof along thefold lines 22 would require a slightly different position.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that after the flaps 21 havebeen folded into place, the flap 25 is swung down about its fold line 26with the lower edge of the flap 25 being disposed immediately above theupper edge of the end wall 35 of the tray to further lock the tray downagainst the bottom panel 11 of the carton. If desired, the flap 25 maybe suitably adhesively secured to the flaps 21.

Thereafter, the end panel 27 is folded up into overlapping relation withrespect to the flap 25. The flap 27 engages the outer surface of the endwall 35 of the tray, as is shown in FIG. 7, and prevents thelongitudinal shifting of the tray within the carton 30. If desired, theend panel 27 may be suitably secured to the flap 25 such as by way of asuitable adhesive.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6 wherein the completed package, which isidentified by the numeral 40, is shown. It is to be noted that thepackage 40 is completed by wrapping a suitable binding tape 41longitudinally about the carton 30 and thus assuring the securing inplace of the flaps and panel at each end of the carton 30. The tape 41if desired, may be the only securing means for retaining the carton 30in its closed condition.

Referring now to the exaggerated showing of FIG. 7, it will be seen thatthe tray 31 is wedgingly retained within the carton 30 by the end panels27 so that the tray 31 cannot shift towards the ends of the carton andfurther to retain the tray seated on the bottom panel 11 of the carton.Further, the flaps 21 and 25 overlie the double thickness end walls 35of the tray 31 and further retain the tray 31 seated against the bottompanel 11 of the carton. Thus, even though the package may be turnedupside down during handling, the relative position of the tray and thearticles packaged therein with respect to the carton will remain thesame..Accordingly, the package 40 may be subjected to rather severehandling without damage to the articles packaged in the tray.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat minor variations may be made in the carton construction and therelationship thereof with respect to the tray without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a product and an enclosing container fullyenclosing said product, said product including a tray having articlespacked therein with opposite ends of said tray projecting beyond saidarticles, said container having side walls and ends closed by end walls,said container side wallsbeing trapezoidal and said container end wallssloping towards one another remote from said tray and forming meanswedgingly entrapping said tray.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein both ends of said container are of theopen type and said end walls include flaps, said tray including endseach having a free edge, and at least one of said flaps of each end wallof said container having a lower edge directly overlying said tray freeedge.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein at least one of said container ends ifof the open type and the respective one of said end walls includesflaps, said tray including an end at said container open end having afree edge, and at least one of said flaps having a lower edge directlyoverlying said tray free edge.

4. The package of claim 3 wherein said flaps include opposed flapsswingable together above said tray edge, and a third flap swingablegenerally at right angles to said two flaps into overlying relation tosaid two flaps and above said tray edge.

5. The package of claim 4 wherein there is a fourth flap generallyabutting said tray end and overlapping said third flap.

6. The package of claim 4 wherein said opposed flaps are connected tosaid side walls only above said tray.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein said container walls are generallyparallel to one another.

8. An enclosing container including a bottom, top, sides and endscombining to define a complete enclosure, said sides being trapezoidaland said ends sloping towards one another, and at least one of said endsis of the openable type, said sloping of said ends together beingtowards said top, said one end being defined by flaps securable to oneanother in stacked relation with innermost ones of said flaps havinglower edges spaced above said bottom for retaining an article generallyseated on said bottom.

9. A one-piece carton blank comprising generally rectangular bottom andtop panels having substantially like lengths and different widths, afirst trapezoidal side panel connecting said bottom and top panels and asecond trapezoidal side panel connected to one of said top and bottompanels, first end flaps connected to opposite ends of each side panel,second end flaps connected to opposite ends of said top panel, and thirdend flaps secured to opposite ends of said bottom panels.

10. The carton blank of claim 9 wherein said first ends flaps are of awidth generally equal to one half the width of said second and third endflaps.

11. The carton blank of claim 9 wherein said first and second-and thirdend flaps have progressively increasing widths.

1. A package comprising a product and an enclosing container fullyenclosing said product, said product including a tray having articlespacked therein with opposite ends of said tray projecting beyond saidarticles, said container having side walls and ends closed by end walls,said container side walls being trapezoidal and said container end wallssloping towards one another remote from said tray and forming meanswedgingly entrapping said tray.
 2. The package of claim 1 wherein bothends of said container are of the open type and said end walls includeflaps, said tray including ends each having a free edge, and at leastone of said flaps of each end wall of said container having a lower edgedirectly overlying said tray free edge.
 3. The package of claim 1wherein at least one of said container ends if of the open type and therespective one of said end walls includes flaps, said tray including anend at said container open end having a free edge, and at least one ofsaid flaps having a lower edge directly overlying said tray free edge.4. The package of claim 3 wherein said flaps include opposed flapsswingable together above said tray edge, and a third flap swingablegenerally at right angles to said two flaps into overlying relation tosaid two flaps and above said tray edge.
 5. The package of Claim 4wherein there is a fourth flap generally abutting said tray end andoverlapping said third flap.
 6. The package of claim 4 wherein saidopposed flaps are connected to said side walls only above said tray. 7.The package of claim 1 wherein said container walls are generallyparallel to one another.
 8. An enclosing container including a bottom,top, sides and ends combining to define a complete enclosure, said sidesbeing trapezoidal and said ends sloping towards one another, and atleast one of said ends is of the openable type, said sloping of saidends together being towards said top, said one end being defined byflaps securable to one another in stacked relation with innermost onesof said flaps having lower edges spaced above said bottom for retainingan article generally seated on said bottom.
 9. A one-piece carton blankcomprising generally rectangular bottom and top panels havingsubstantially like lengths and different widths, a first trapezoidalside panel connecting said bottom and top panels and a secondtrapezoidal side panel connected to one of said top and bottom panels,first end flaps connected to opposite ends of each side panel, secondend flaps connected to opposite ends of said top panel, and third endflaps secured to opposite ends of said bottom panels.
 10. The cartonblank of claim 9 wherein said first ends flaps are of a width generallyequal to one half the width of said second and third end flaps.
 11. Thecarton blank of claim 9 wherein said first and second and third endflaps have progressively increasing widths.